The present invention relates to a network arrangement and a method respectively for call processing in a communications system. The invention also relates to a communications system comprising such network arrangement. Call relates in the present application to any kind of transmission, such as transmission of speech, data, video etc.
In xe2x80x9cDiversification and Integration of Networks and Switching Technologies Towards the 21th Centuryxe2x80x9d on the International Switching Symposium 1992, Vol. 1, pp 420-424, development of ATM switching software based on an object-oriented hierarchical structure ATM is discussed. The document relates to an ATM switching system comprising an object-oriented hierarchical software model. The system described therein is based on a structure comprising a number of different layers, objects. A channel layer manages and controls the logical switching equipment which corresponds to the signalling equipment and switches. From a, hierarchically seen, above this layer arranged port layer, differences in methods for implementing switching equipment are concealed by logic resources which are referred to as a channel. The layer conceals differences between the broad band and the narrow-band. Therethrough the layers above the channel layer can be applied both to ATM switching systems and to STM switching systems.
With this structure, ATM as well as STM switches can be used without requiring a changing in the interface for a user. However, in other respects there is no flexibility provided for and the behaviour of a channel can not be changed in any other way without changing the user interface. Furthermore, with this structure it is not possible to, without requiring significant changes thereto, to use for example different switches (or other equipment) apart from those already provided for.
The present invention relates to a network arrangement for call processing in a communications system and to provide communication between an originating side and at least one terminating side wherein the connection is built up by a connection part and a call part. This means that when an originating side wants to be connected to one or more terminating side(s) a transmission path is ordered. A transmission path here relates to a speech path, a path for data transmission or for video transmission etc. The order is separated into different layers, a call part and a connection part. This is referred to as a call connection separation. In the following, connection relates to the connection part. This comprises a number of connection objects e.g. in turn comprising one or more path objects wherein the objects are arranged in an object-oriented hierarchical structure through which a number of different behaviours incumbent on a path object can be handled. It AS also an object of the invention to provide an arrangement through which the behaviour for a path object can be changed without the user interface having to be changed. Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement through which the interaction between different routing cases is minimized.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement which is flexible and which can be used with future arrangements, equipment etc. so that such can be easily connected to the arrangement without the need for changing interfaces etc.
Generally it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement assisting in providing a good system design, which is flexible and which can be used in a number of different Systems and which is highly efficient in processing calls in a communications system.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for processing calls in a communications system fulfilling the above mentioned objects.
With communications systems are in the present invention meant telecommunications systems in general, telephone communication, data communication, ISDN-communication etc.
These as well as further objects are achieved through an arrangement in which the path objects comprise a base path object and a sub path object which are hierarchically arranged in a super class and a subclass respectively. A connection object can use a base path object independently of the corresponding sub path object. The behaviour of the sub path object is given by the particular routing case. The objects are also achieved through a method wherein the path objects are divided into a base path object and a sub path object wherein a connection object can use a base path object independently of the corresponding sub path object wherein further the behaviour of the sub path object is given by the routing case.
It is an advantage with the invention that the interaction between different objects is low which in turn makes it easy to add new hardware such as for example new and/or different types of switches etc without having to change the interface for the connection object. Another advantage of the invention is that it is easy to change the behaviour of a path object without having to change the interface for a user and in that the behaviour is hidden from the user.
It is also an advantage with the invention that the maintenance of the software is future proof since there is only little interaction between different objects as referred to above. It is also an advantage that all paths can be ordered to connect the transmission path in bothways except from the paths having the access points. (The invention is however, of course, not restricted thereto.) These paths are only setting the transmission path according to the state desired by the user.
With a transmission path is in this document meant e.g. a speech path, data transmission path, video transmission path etc. If for example when discussing a particular embodiment etc. it is merely referred to a speech path, it should be clear that it also may relate to other transmission paths.